Shadow
by LnCpl. Luke Tamaken
Summary: A year following the fatal crash that took the life of Fox McCloud, Krystal is left to face the world broken and alone. As she copes with her loss while facing the threats Lylat can throw, a mysterious figure appears out of nowhere and helps her through her darkest times.
1. Lost Forever

**_SHADOW_  
**

Chapter 1: Lost forever

The cold blankness of space; either comforting or chilling. The bright glow of the sun creating a halo effect on the planet of Corneria while in orbit around the large star. Outside the atmosphere and under space radar control, a distinct ship was in orbit while drifting around the planet, the Great Fox II

Up close, the ship had clearly lost its luster while the bright-red logo faded away. Inside the ship, one semi-reliable fighter was at its launch pad while another fighter, a well maintained one, was covered with a white cloth. Heading to the bridge, dim lights flickered, computers were dead silent and a robot deactivated and preserved in a containment device on the far left side. The far right corner had a communications system, its screen flashing on and off with the words 'saved message' at the center.

The hallways were quiet and dim, doors were locked as one room emitted light on the other side. Beyond that steel door lies a bedroom with the usual furniture; a bed, closet, a table with a desk lamp and lone picture frame, and a small container for firearms. Another door to the far end of the room separates the personal bathroom.

A vulpine was sitting down on the side of the bed. He was a fox in his late 20's, 5'8'' in height, brownish fur and has a white crest on his head. He was wearing a green flight suit with black details under a white jacket; a pair of dogtags hung around his neck while a set of shades were clipped on his collar. His hands were holding a small picture frame; the photo was that of a blue vixen, presumably in her mid-20's, with the said fox resting his hand on her shoulder.

He looked at the picture carefully, refreshing the memories he had back then with her. A smile crept on his face as the good memories were being recollected, like giving a thirsty wanderer the drink he desperately needed. But his smile faded away when a recent event tore the two apart for good, a memory that always haunted him up to this day.

_If only I hadn't been so afraid, you'd still be here in my arms today. But I guess dwelling on that wouldn't put me to further heights._

He placed the frame aside and stood up, his eyes filled with hope for a brand new day "I'll just apologize to her before retiring."

* * *

The hangar doors started to open as Fox made the final checks for his fighter; the old bird may need some repairs, but she's still as slick as before. While making his final checks, he noticed that his first G-diffuser (left housing) isn't working properly. He knew that a fighter can still fly with one diffuser working, but his diffuser seems to be unresponsive to his command; a problem he never encountered before.

"It's just a minor problem. I'll get this fixed when I make my descent" he mumbled as he shrugged the problem aside.

He checked his primary HUD screen which was showing the armor status panel. He swept the screen as the armament panel showed up; two missiles were still in the missile bay while his laser batteries were in good condition. He swept again as the performance gauges showed up, his main engine running smoothly while his diffusers were showing two different readings.

_Damn diffuser. With this keeping up, I guess I'm going to feel the g-force_

Flipping a few more switches and finalizing his start-up procedure, he did one more try to start-up his left diffuser. He monitored the gauge and was finally relieved when the diffuser started up, clearing any approach problems completely.

With a steady hand, he pushed the throttles to full while his engines responded immediately to the command. The ship accelerated down the dock before jettisoning towards Corneria...

* * *

Outskirts of Corneria City  
22:17 hours CST

The bright city lights and towering skyscrapers were just one of the features that wraps around the capital. Corneria City, the center of galactic government and military prowess, kept its lively aura even in the dead of night as millions of Cornerians spent the night in different approaches.

On air patrol was the rising mercenary team, Star Wolf. After their successful hit-and-run mission against the Anglars, they were considered as the newest heroes of Lylat; instant celebrities to the entire system. And all of that rooted from revenge and anger of a blue vixen against McCloud, her name was Krystal.

While the system admired their bravery and commitment to end the war, it all rooted down from betrayal. Wolf got into the team and gained Fox's trust after a battle in Fichina; the vulpine hoping that he'd help him out in the war, not realizing that he would be used to gain the device needed to penetrate the acidic seas. All thanks to Krystal's defection when a move to protect her was gravely misunderstood.

It was getting late as the four Wolfens kept vigilante watch of the airspace; several passenger aircraft (JAXA based aircraft) are heading to the city, one aircraft approximately carrying 300 passengers. Inside her Wolfen, Krystal started to yawn while checking her HUD screen for any data change. As she checked her systems, Panther came up in the intercom screen

"You getting tired my dear?"

She yawned while checking more of her systems "Yeah. Didn't get much sleep last night"

"Mmm... I think you should return to the ship and take a break. I'll inform Wolf for you"

"Thanks sweety. I appreciate your concern" she thanked before breaking away from the formation.

For nights, the vixen was experiencing reoccurring nightmares; majority branching out from leaving Fox. In her dreams, she was being stalked by the guilt and shame of her actions while running through streets, hearing people mock her as a traitor. Another reoccurring is that a fox, wearing a black jacket, kept stalking her; his eyes were glowing red, causing her to run in fear

_Same reoccurring nightmares over and over. What's wrong with me?_

She shook her head while keeping track of her current position. All of a sudden her radar and IRAS started picking up a heat signature to her eleven. She looked towards her left as a blue streak of light shot past a few hundred meters above the sky.

"Could that be... It can't..." she shrugged while continuing her course...

* * *

Warning sounds were going off as Fox struggled to keep his fighter in level. Outside, his left diffuser was ablaze, causing the ship to make a bank turn towards the left.

He was sweating, fighting his ship to get the controls. His arms getting tired as they forced the stick to go right while battling the shaker. Half of his hydraulics burned away and fed the fire in the housing; his right line giving him minimal control to the ailerons.

His speed was over 300 MPH; too fast to make a safe landing. To make things worse, shutting the left diffuser would cause instability and kill what valuable controls he had left. Slowing down his right isn't an option either; the badly-damaged and highly unstable left diffuser would overpower the right and cause a stall. He ruled out the proposal of using his stick; even the slightest deviation to the left would send the fighter flinging leftward.

"Corneria control, this is Fox McCloud. I am declaring an emergency. Repeat, I am declaring an emergency"

His call goes unnoticed as he struggled with the controls. He was heading towards the city; combined with his speed and rate of descent, he has become an uncontrollable fuel bomb.

A few more minutes and Corneria control finally responded to his plead. "Corneria control here. We hear you loud and clear"

"Control, current situation... lost... hydraulics... descending at... cannot... aircraft... on fire... lost major..."

"Say again, we cannot understand your situation"

But Fox doesn't answer back. He was too concerned about his trajectory that he forgot to respond.

"Can you hear us McCloud?"

Again, ominous silence was the only response from the other side. But the radar screen is still showing the aircraft and its heading. Without hesitation, he contacted one of the flights heading towards the port

"Air Titania 742, I need some assistance from you. I've lost radio contact from Fox McCloud and his radar signature appears to be heading to your front. Please confirm visual as soon as you can, over"

"Roger Corneria control, we'll keep a lookout for the fighter"

He thanked the flight before contacting another one, this time from Corneria National Airlines "Corneria Air 227, I need visual on Fox McCloud. His current position will be to your left, a thousand feet below you, over"

"Copy. We'll keep our eyes out"

* * *

Back to Fox, his ordeal was taking turns for the worst. His equipment started to fail altogether; electrical wires burning in the left diffuser, while another wave of warning sirens filled the cockpit before the master warning light sprung to life. He had been fighting his Arwing II for half an hour now with the situation degrading faster and faster.

But he was still heading straight for one of Corneria's tallest buildings at over 300 MPH. Combined with his descent rate and turning difficulty, he's faced with two desperate options; pull back the first diffuser to make a hard bank turn to the left or use his stick to make the turn.

_Shut down the first, I'll be able to slow down... but spiral out in the process. Take the stick and I'll be able to recover... but I won't recover fast enough... speed may increase as well..._

The thought sent chills down his spine. He would lose everything. But the lives of thousands are at risk if he doesn't act now. His eyes were scanning the horizon, looking for the safest place to crash. Corneria City is located near the Corneria bay, with that connecting to the sea a few nautical miles apart. It was a moonless night and he noticed, to his relief, that all ships in the area have ported back to the docks, leaving the Cornerian Navy fleets to guard the perimeter.

He took deep breaths as his fingers clenched the stick. With one last inhale, he gently moved the column to the left. The response was sudden, the ship nearly making a 90* turn as he tried to balance out; his flight path slowly moving towards the bay. The radar screen to his left was starting to detect aircraft nearby; one to his right and another behind.

He knew that his time was about to come, and dying without his final words being heard isn't an option. He has known that ATC conversations were recorded in case of any mishaps. This was his last chance to record all conversations that he wishes to save.

"Corneria control, this is Fox McCloud. Lost all control. Can't land anymore..."

The aircraft was now a few miles from impact as he flew over the buildings below. His exhaust trail taking the attention of bystanders as they started pointing at the source of the line. Some even took out their phones and started recording the sight.

"No hope for recovery. Ran out of options..."

He cleared the main city center and flew above seaside hotels and restaurants. Some visitors noticed the craft and quickly grabbed their cameras and recorders before running outside and tape the event. Some were in shock when they zoomed in and discovered that it was the Arwing II of Fox McCloud.

"Tell my team that I am sorry for everything I've done..."

Miles away from the beach and military assistance out of the equation, he is about a few hundred feet above the sea. He could see the waves below, and the reflection of the ship as well. His system started warning him about his altitude, but there was nothing he could do anymore. He was tired and sweaty from the fight, and all he wanted was the rest he deserved.

"Tell her that I'll always love her..."


	2. The Darkest Hour

Chapter 2: The darkest hour

Sunrise was taking place over the horizon as another day begins. Normally, it would start slowly and with people coming and going. But on this specific day, thousands have flocked the beaches and seaside views while thousands more went inside buildings and bridges, trying to find out what was going on. If you were a bystander positioned in the top floor of a building, you'll probably find out what was happening

Three Cornerian aircraft carriers and a destroyer were being deployed while two SD-24 Marauder gunships flew overhead towards a small fleet of SONAR equipped vessels a few miles off the coast. As the three naval ships made their way to the site, the Star Wolf team flew overhead heading towards the ships in the same direction. Most of the Cornerians knew exactly what had happened, and they can only hope that their hero would still be alive.

* * *

Naval units were working their hearts out trying to search the remains of the downed fighter. The time isn't working to their favor; the Arwing II could survive a water crash, but his life support system can only hold for 24 hours. As sailors on the deck worked as hard as they can, the Wolfens flew overhead while the gunships hovered around.

On the bridge of one of the battleships, two generals and General Peppy were overseeing the operation. The news had only been delivered a few hours later, when naval units can scour the site properly. Peppy had been very worried; so worried that he ordered one of his best generals to substitute for him.

As the operation progressed, a call came in from Wolf. Peppy of course took the call as the face of the lupine appeared in the hologram

"General Hare"

"Wolf. Did you find anything?"

He cleared his throat "We did... but it isn't good"

"What do you mean?" the hare inquired with worry in his voice.

"We... found pieces of wreckage floating to the surface." he bowed his head "I'm afraid he came in too fast and his fighter broke apart on impact. The SONAR scans confirmed our speculation"

"Well... do your best... and... make sure to confirm" he stuttered, more or less in despair as the hologram faded.

_I hope you're still alive Fox..._

* * *

An hour into the search and still coming up empty handed. Frustration and desperation being the dominant feelings to everyone involved. After another hour of searching, the commander decided to use desperate measures

"Star Wolf, I want all of you to head underwater and locate the wreck and cockpit. Report immediately if target is found"

Wolf nodded before communicating to his team via the intercom line "Listen up, we're going to do a full target scan around key points where McCloud was last seen in radar scans last night. Leon, your sector will be the first; the entire west sector. Panther, take sector two; that will be the entire north region. Krystal, you take sector three; the eastern section. I'll handle the fourth in the south."

The group splitted up as each fighter headed to their assigned sectors. With one blast, the red and black fighters dove into the Corneria bay, hoping to find the wreck and cockpit, and possibly Fox himself.

Underwater, visibility was ranging from good to average as the team scanned the sea floor for the remains of the fighter. It would have been nice to enjoy the view and watch the wildlife, but the search and rescue had to progress before it became a search and retrieval instead. Data was coming and going from everyone; usually a negative find or simply nothing.

A few more hours into the search, still no sign of the wreck or Fox; in Wolf, Leon and Panther's sectors anyway. Krystal on the other hand stared noticing a blue housing in the distance. Her excitement and relief was simply overwhelming; she started to release tears of joy before contacting Wolf

"I found him! I found him Wolf!" She said gleefully as the lupine rested on his seat and breathed a sigh of relief.

"How about the main body?"

"I'm approaching the rest of the fuselage. Just found one of the diffusers... and mostly intact by the looks of it"

"Got it. If the diffuser's intact, the rest should be intact as well"

Her fighter moved slowly while navigating around the crash site; debris scattered around with large pieces of the fighter resting elsewhere. Seconds later, the silver body appeared in front of her; most of it still intact, with the nose missing. A closer view revealed the cockpit canopy mostly intact, but the inside a little hard to see.

"Found the main body. The cockpit and canopy is largely intact in my position"

"OK Krystal, we're calling in divers to reach him. Good job and pull out"

* * *

Two divers were making their way to the wreck as their DPVs propelled them down with ease. Their equipment consisted of their oxygen tanks, a high performance laser cutter and a waterproof headset built in their masks. Their descent was quick and efficient; their gear weight being of some assistance. Their HMDs acting as ARIs; their headset used as an interface.

Minutes into the final leg of the operation, their lights caught sight of the main fuselage in the distance. Without hesitation, they pushed forward as their lights reflected from the silver body, astounding the two and raising their hopes up. Or so they thought anyway.

The next few seconds will forever haunt everyone in the surface and the entire population of Corneria. When the two arrived to the cockpit canopy, their first impression was that if they were dreaming. The canopy was cracked; cracked to the point where water can seep inside. Another troubling indication was that the canopy showed signs of it being unable to be open from the inside; forcing it open becoming an impossible task due to the explosion jamming the gears and bolts that opens and closes the part.

Hastily taking their laser cutters, both took position in the sides as they started cutting their way in. The bright light of melting metals illuminating in the near dark area of the bay. As the cutting progressed, the canopy started shaking to the cutting process. They continued on, following the base until reaching the gear box; the location of the gears responsible for the smooth operation of the entire canopy system. They started cutting their way into the box as sparks started flying. The most tense seconds were ticking before they heard a clang; the base loosening completely.

This was it. The moment of truth. The moment where the efforts of everyone involve would sprout and the results to be revealed. The man on the right nodded before they moved to the sides of the canopy; their hands clenching the cut areas. With all their might, they forced the contraption open as groaning noises ensued. Their feet flat on the edges as they pulled harder; the groaning becoming louder. With one final tug, they felt a sudden upward force, causing them to tumble in the water. And the truth was sealed...

The body of the brown vulpine strapped into his fighter seat with a glass breaker floating loftily. He looked so peaceful; as if the weight of the world had finally been released from his shoulders. This wasn't suicide or a murder. It was an accident, an accident that finally gave rest to the weary fighter. His face wasn't showing signs of regret or sadness, but a face of peace.

The divers remained still, overwhelmed with sadness and devastation. But his face gave some comfort to their spirits, his peaceful looking state and faint smile almost made it surreal. He could have seen the light or finally relieved from the pain of the world. With that said, the two grabbed him by the shoulders and ascended from the sea floor...

* * *

On the bridge of the destroyer, Peppy and the rest of the officials were waiting for the news as they watched the marauders hover in the distance. Each second equated to minutes and hours; everyone on the edge of their seats, literally and metaphorically as reports came in and out. Even with the news that came from Krystal and Wolf earlier, he was still unsure if it were true or not.

The doors behind them slid back as Krystal came inside. Her light smile and hopeful eyes made the hare smile when he turned back.

"Krystal dear, how good of you to join us" He commented whilst resuming his observations

"I thought of giving you some company." She replied calmly while standing nearby "And see how's the operation going as well"

Into the wait, the all-or-nothing moment arrived as Peppy's assistant came inside and poked him in the shoulders, grabbing his attention

"Sir, General Griffon would want to speak with you in private. I've prepared the terminal for your conversation"

With that said, the hare nodded and followed the canine. Krystal can only watch as he left the room and wait for him to come back and tell the news they so longed for. The news they never wanted to hear.

Minutes in, he came back. Only... he just stared continually outside, not minding the people around him; he even walked past Krystal as if she were not there at all. Everyone felt nervous, about what he had heard and what caused him to look out. Krystal sensed everyone wanting her to approach him, find out what happened that caused him to act like that. Clearing her own throat, she took small, quiet steps forward. Everyone seems to be looking at her; and she sensed it. With the said objective completed, she looked outside and started to speak

"What did you hear?"

He started shedding tears and sniffled as he looked at the floor. His body kneeled down, hands flat on the window, the sound of crying followed soonafter; bashing any hope that wanted to arise and shattering those fading away.

The young vixen kneeled beside him with while resting a hand on his shoulders. He responded by turning to his right and hugged her while tears slid down his face.

"Corneria General Hospital" were the first words that she heard while holding her closer "We were too late Krystal..."

"No... please tell me that it's a joke..." She replied, not wanting to accept the painful truth.

"It isn't dear. I suggest you go there yourself." He wiped his tears and stood up "Everyone, we're done with the operation. Head back to shore and say nothing about this. We will publicly announce this tragedy soon"

* * *

A Marauder gunship flew above the city skyline as the moonlight gleamed in the darkness. Krystal sat in one of the two benches inside the passenger section of the gunship. Her hands were clenched together while silently praying for Fox, hoping that he would emerge alright. Everything felt... different. And regrets made their way to her mind and heart; something that shouldn't happen, at least, that's what she thought.

Her mind started peering into memories, each being unique from the rest. She wanted it to stop but couldn't; was she really concerned for him? He left her out and pushed her away, then she joined their rivals and plotted a betrayal. Tears started trickling down as those memories haunted her at last. She finally realized the aftermath of her actions; actions that costed the fox she truly cared for.

Her head felt light, her heart pounding in pain, eyes releasing tears and hands clenched towards her chest. She never felt so alone in her entire life; more painful than being the last of her kind. Sure she had company being with Star Wolf, but were they really there for her? Were they just used her for removing their bounties? The prospect sent shivers down her spine. Was she really just a tool for their ticket to freedom?

She couldn't take the torments her mind threw against her. All that she wanted now was to know what really happened to him, find out if it was true. She wanted an answer; an answer she is not prepared to face, an answer she is not prepared to accept.

The engines winded down as the door slid open. The pilot was outside, waiting for her to exit the craft as she stood up and approached the light.

The breeze of the night ran past her fur. But it had no value to her, something inside was dying and she knew it. A hand assisted her as she jumped out and landed on the concrete. Thanking the pilot for his assistance, she headed for the emergency stairwell and walked down...

* * *

With head bowed down, she walked down the corridor as doctors, nurses, patients and visitors passed by, more or less being noticed as eyes looked at her. She felt nervous, unsure to be exact. The beating of her heart was quick, sweat was forming in her hands and feet when she saw Falco leaning on the wall while holding his chin; a doctor talking in front.

Her footsteps took his attention as Falco turned his head and gave a faint smile to her. She replied by raising her hand for a brief moment.

"Falco. Glad to see you here"

His smile faded away. He looked through her eyes and felt the nervousness and pain inside. Not wanting to let her see his teary eyes and broken state, he turned back and walked away as the doctor raised his hand, trying to call him; all to no avail.

The doctor turned around and was surprised to see the vixen standing in front of him. It made him clear his throat as he took steps forward

"Ms. Krystal, right?" He asked, receiving a proper nod from her. "Take a seat dear, there's something you should know"

She took a seat on the bench before the doctor followed. He removed his glasses and looked straight to the cold floor "This is about Mr. McCloud. He... he didn't make it ma'am."

"Excuse me?" She said, surprised about his answer, an answer she didn't want to hear

"Fox didn't make it. He drowned inside the fighter." He took a deep breath "His x-ray scans showed multiple broken ribs, some even punctured his lungs. He tried to open the canopy by flooding the cockpit... but the gears were jammed when the diffuser exploded and when the ship crashed into the bay. I'm sorry ma'am, but there's nothing we can do anymore for him"

She shook her head in disbelief. Is this really happening? Tears poured down as she started crying. Her heart was torn and beated painfully; her body became numb and overwhelmed with shock. All she could do was stand and run inside the room with the doctor staying behind, powerless to change anything.

Inside, his body laid in state. A single light from the ceiling lighting the bed he was in. She walked towards him with hands covering her muzzle, eyes producing more tears and boy shaking in terror and disbelief.

Helpless. Desolate. Heartbroken.

She fell to her knees while her hands held his cold, damp hand. Her crying changed to sobbing as her forehead rested on her crossed shoulders. She continued sobbing, her cries blocking the sound of the door closing. Everyone outside simply stopped and bowed down; just as torn as the wailing vixen


	3. Broken

Chapter 3: Broken

* * *

"I think you need to leave Star Wolf dear. I'm afraid that they'll be bad influences to you overtime"

She nodded while tears slid down her face, muffled crying coming out from her mouth. The older hare embracing her, doing his best to give comfort to the desolated vixen.

"I wished... I had known sooner... He wouldn't... have died..." She sniffed, regretting her reaction when she saw the fighter pass beside her the night before. Shrugging aside a faint chance to save his life from imminent death.

He patted her back. "It's not your fault Krystal. It was an accident."

Her crying became louder and her grip on him stronger. The hare couldn't help but sigh, she was torn inside and he was helpless to do anything about it but give his support for her.

"There was one thing that we found" he reached his pocket and handed her a dried memory card "It was a video message for me. I suppose this should be seen by you as well"

Her hands took it delicately, careful not to drop it. She took out her PDA and inserted the memory card to the slot

* * *

_Hi everyone. How are you all doing?_

_Me? Well, the ship feels kinda empty, now that you've all had your own ways anyway. And I'm happy about your choices; Slippy being with his family, Falco handling his own team, Krystal being a member of Star Wolf and of course Peppy being the general of Corneria._

_The time I had was more or less used for thinking. Not about the past, but about what's ahead for me. I'm done with crying and regretting. I want a fresh start, a new beginning. For my sake... for our sake._

_I've decided to hand over the team to Peppy and __would_ hopefully become a part of the military. I on the other hand would go back and maybe start as a flight instructor. At least I can see all of you every now and then, I heard Slippy's taking part in the research division with Beltino, Falco'd always pass by and train the recruits and of course Krystal visits daily to see Peppy.

_I look forward to start anew in Corneria and seeing you guys again. Hope you all feel the same way. Best wishes to everyone!_

* * *

It made it all worse; he finally had goals and dreams that will never come. A fresh start slashed away by an accident.

PDA being placed on her pocket, she left the room with head bowed down, looking at the floor while sniffing. All that she wanted was to be alone for the moment.

"The helicopter's still on the rooftop, If you want to leave, you may." He added, voice audible enough to hear.

Her hand touched the small screen as the door slid open, light entering through the frame. A hand wiped away tears as she headed back to the rooftop as those around her bowed their heads down. It felt a little nice that they were giving some sympathy after the terrible truth.

At the rooftop, the pilot was leaning on the gunship with his arms crossed and cap bent a bit forward. He looked up to see the blue vixen heading towards the craft. He tipped his cap while she raised a hand.

"Need a ride Ms. Krystal?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere. Just a nice flight please..."

He nodded as the door opened before jumping inside the rear cockpit. Krystal stepped inside the seemingly dark section, with one dim light acting as the lone source of lighting.

The rotors spun around, the engines becoming louder and stronger with the door closing, cancelling sound from entering inside. She took a seat on the bench and buried her face in her hands. She had never felt so alone, save for her being the last of her kind. The bitter pain of losing the person who truly cared until the very last breath. Tears welled up her eyes once more as memories flooded back, torturing her with bittersweet moments.

Shook her head. An unforeseen tragedy. This couldn't be her fault, could it?

Flashbacks from the night before traced back. His fighter was close, close enough to be seen, but not as clear. The large blue light that lit the dark sky. It was obvious; his fighter had the unique exhaust trails from the rest. He was banking to the left; his canopy could be seen. The tint blocking the dreadful situation he faced, the sirens that sprung to life, the warnings from his screens, but what can wrap everything up was the fact that he had front row seats to death. A show with a tragic end.

* * *

Time passed, and without knowing, the pilot had landed near the team's personal vacation house. The noise fading in the cold air, a hissing sound followed before light entered once more.

She rested her hands on the bench and pushed herself up, careful not to hit the roof. She made her way out as a hand assisted her down the aircraft. She thanked the pilot who suddenly lowered his cap.

"Ma'am, the general asked if I could uh... become your personal transporter, y'know, cause he's pretty concerned about you. Don't worry, I'll work for free, something Mr. McCloud would want for you. Would that be fine for you?"

She nodded. "Thank you for the offer. I'd really appreciate that"

"No problem ma'am. Before I forget, here's something you should have" He checked his pockets until he found a special communication device and handed it over "This is a one way comms device. Only the two of us can communicate with each other."

"Thank you." She smiled

"No problem ma'am"

"That's nice of you to say, but I'd rather be called Krystal instead Mr?" She asked with an extended hand.

"John." He grabbed her hand and shook "Glad to be working for you Krystal"

With one last wave, he gave her an informal salute before jumping inside the gunship. The last thing to do was get inside and at least get some sleep for tomorrow.

As she walked towards the gate, the engines of the helicopter started crying as the sound of the spinning rotors followed. The unique 'chopping' sound ensued afterwards, a blast of air pushing the helicopter upward, gaining altitude and tilted forward until it flew away; its taillights and sidelights blinking in fixed timing.

She turned back and sighed. In front of her was a well designed house, two stories high, with a medium-sized fountain in the middle and outdoor parking spaces facing the shore. The location was seaside; the vacation home situated near the beachhead. The reason of the location was that the sunsets were always beautiful; like that from a dream.

But her..., his dream, was slashed from himself.

She couldn't understand it. She never felt so... irrational... emotional. But something else sent shivers down her spine; the visions.

It kept coming back. Visions and flashbacks in front of her very own eyes. Memories just... popping out of nowhere.

Was it punishment for her negligence? For her betrayal?

Her steps turned slow, her spirit troubled. Was it really punishment?

Finally, the door stood in front of her, a hand scanner to the left glowed red. She looked at the device, staring at it blankly. Her attention turned to her hand. Back then, this was usually the hand where she would do high-fives, handshakes, and patting the backs of her teammates. There was a time where she and Fox unknowingly held hands while watching the sunsets.

Blinked her eyes. Shook her head. Tears formed in her eyes.

She was quick to press her hand flat against the scanner. A red beam moved down as it checked the prints present and tried to look for a match in the database.

Click. Hiss.

The door disappeared from her sight. The lights inside turned on. She stepped in, and the door closed behind her.

She looked around. The place looked the same from their last vacation. Practically the same set of furniture, layout and security as before. Cleanliness was impressive. Not even a speck of dust can be seen.

The aircon system created a very light humming sound, breaking the silence. But she just stood there, looking around. Her heart felt heavy.

She took small steps forward. Her sandals creating light tapping noises in the wooden floor. The only objectives in her mind was to get sleep and try to overcome her grief.

The stairs were next. Every step was slow, very slow. It wasn't easy to walk with a throbbing heart. Everywhere she looked, it reminded her of him.

The pain was excruciating, the memories too painful to take. Tears just slid down her cheeks while holding down her urge to cry and break down. Her hand clung onto the railing as she climbed the stairs.

After the climb, next came the hallway. Six doors were present, three per side. She knew the middle rooms were bathrooms and the end doors were their personal rooms. She remembered that her room faced Fox's room, located on the far end of the hallway.

It wasn't easy for her to move. Her head felt light for some reason. But the aching, the tears, everything, was still there. Her tail hung lifeless, ears drooped.

By the time she reached the end, she turned left, facing the door to his room. With a delicate thumb, she pressed the code numbers. The door opened, the lights turned on.

His room was moderately big, with a sliding glass door that separated the balcony from his room. The starry sky was beautiful, but it did not help lighten her mood. The door closed shut and locked, preventing anyone from entering.

She looked at the bed, it was fix, the blanket straight and pillows neatly piled and big enough to hold a person. She sat on the side while looking at their photo on the lampdesk. It was during their visit to Titania, where Fox asked a fan to take their pictures. He wore his trademark shades and jacket, jeans and rubber shoes while she wore a T-shirt and sweater, complimented by her jeans and sandals.

A faint smile crept on her face as a tear landed on the picture frame.

A picture of happiness. Happiness she erased forever.

She placed it back on the table as her urge to cry was almost incomprehensible. She sniffed... and finally broke down and cried.

Her head landed on the soft pillow while her body rested on the mattress. She then took a pillow and hugged it tight as she curled up and continued crying.

She never felt so helpless and alone.

But she was strong. A hard fighter and kind woman.

But... Krystal laid on the bed. Crying out loud as the pain in her heart was too much to bear.

She was vulnerable. Cold. Alone...


End file.
